firing
UK: ˈfaɪərɪŋ | US: ˈfaɪərɪŋ
n. the act of discharging a weapon or dismissing someone from a job
n. the process of baking ceramics or bricks in a kiln
vt. present participle of "fire" (to shoot or ignite)
The word "firing" derives from the Old English "fȳr" (fire), which traces back to Proto-Germanic *fūr. The suffix "-ing" is a productive English morpheme used to form nouns from verbs, indicating the action or result of the verb (e.g., "running," "building"). In "firing," it specifically denotes the act of discharging (a weapon) or the process of subjecting materials to heat (e.g., ceramics). The dual meanings reflect the word's evolution from literal combustion to metaphorical extensions like "dismissal" (19th-century slang, likening job termination to being "shot").
The firing of the rifle echoed through the valley.
The company announced the firing of 50 employees due to budget cuts.
The pottery requires precise firing to achieve the desired glaze.
He was caught firing fireworks illegally in the park.
The general ordered the firing of all artillery at dawn.